It is well known that use of a lid over a cooking appliance such as a grill is beneficial in numerous ways. For example, a lid over a grill serves to retain heat resulting in more evenly cooked food from the grill. Also, the lid protects the area surrounding the grill from food splatter—resulting in a cleaner cooking area. These advantages are also desired for other appliances such as griddles and ranges. For a variety of reasons, lids on cooking appliances are desirable.
In some cooking environments, however, it is not possible to install a solid lid on a cooking appliance. On boats, for example, space is extremely limited and purpose driven. This is particularly true for space above-decks outside the cabin. Outdoor kitchens installed on a boat typically include a large enclosure for covering and protecting the sink, grill, and other components of the kitchen. While the boat is under way, the enclosure is closed, but, while the boat is at anchor, the enclosure can be opened to permit use of the kitchen.
The enclosure is usually designed so that the kitchen has a low profile, which has the consequence that there is not sufficient room under the enclosure to accommodate a traditional cover for the grill. As a result, the cover is not permanently installed on the grill (such as by a hinge), but, instead, is completely detached so it can be stowed elsewhere on the boat when the enclosure is closed. This arrangement has significant disadvantages, as the cover can be lost, dislodged during use, damaged, etc.
Next, traditional cooking appliance lids are constructed using highly thermally conductive materials, such as stainless steel or other metals. These materials can become extremely hot to the touch while the appliance is in use, which can be dangerous, especially for children. These materials also do not provide good retention of cooking heat generated by the appliance, resulting in a less efficient appliance.
What is needed, therefore, is a cooking appliance cover adapted to accommodate the demands of tight spaces where a low profile is needed. A cover is needed that will provide the benefits of traditional cooking appliance covers but will be capable of assuming a low profile so that it need not be detached from the appliance. What is further needed is a cover that is safe to touch, even while the cooking appliance is in operation.